Posted on 12/29/2003 10:21:03 AM PST by Semper Paratus
That's the way it's going.
The administration, like those before it, is using our tax dollars to get local police agencies to enforce federal policies or desires. The latest being the "click it or ticket" crap.
And with more federal laws and federal agencies, we will see an increase in those prosecuted for federal crimes.
Also, the administration is making a push to give federal agents the authority to enforce local laws, which will only further federalize the legal system in this country.
No need to jump down my throat.
Either way , it seems unlikely to me that truck weigh stations do more than weight trucks for the purpose of charging taxes...
From how things work:
Most states collect taxes based on the weight of transported goods. Truck weigh stations are used for these tax purposes as well as to monitor the weight of a truck to ensure that it falls within the safety guidelines that each state has in place for its road system.
While the maximum allowed weight varies, a common standard is 34,000 pounds (15,400 kilograms). Weight is usually calculated in two measurements:
Axle weight - the amount of weight carried by each axle Gross weight - the combined weight of all the axles Truck scales are built to handle an enormous amount of abuse. For example, Weigh-Tronix provides a truck scale that they warranty to weigh trucks with a gross weight of 80,000 lbs (36,000 kg) each at a rate of 200 per day, 365 days a year for 25 years! Truck scales are built out of steel, concrete or, in most cases, a combination of both. The technology used in the scales themselves varies. Let's take a look at some of the more common forms. Load-cell systems are the most popular technology used. Each cell is comprised of a durable material such as steel or concrete with one or more strain gauges attached to or embedded in it. A strain gauge consists of a wire (or wires) that transmits a mild electric current. As the cell is subjected to weight, the wire in the strain gauge is altered or compressed slightly. The change in the wire results in a difference in the resistance to the current passing through it. The signal from each cell is sent to a junction box, where sensors measure the variance in the current and calculate the amount of weight the scale is supporting.
The strain gauges in load cells can be either compression or tension based. A compression strain gauge is based on how much the cell compresses when pressure is applied, while a tension strain gauge is based on the slight change in shape of the cell caused by the weight.
A bending-plate system uses metal plates with strain gauges attached to them. As weight is applied to the scale, the plates are subjected to stress. The strain gauge on each plate measures the amount of stress and calculates the load required to cause it. The amounts from each gauge are added together to get the total for that axle.
Piezoelectric systems use a series of piezoelectric sensors. The sensors are embedded in a conducting material. When weight is applied, the pressure changes the voltage of the electrical charge flowing through the conductor. The sensors measure the change in voltage and calculate the load. The amounts from each sensor are added together.
One-stop axle weighing uses several scales that work together to determine the axle weight plus the gross weight.
In addition to the different scales used, there are at least three methods of getting the weight of a truck:
One-axle - The most cumbersome method, a truck gradually drives across a single scale, stopping each time a set of wheels is on the scale. Once all the axles have been weighed, the total is added together. One-stop - A series of scales are used so that the entire truck can be weighed at once. The scales are typically connected to a single electronic controller that automatically combines the axle weights to get the gross weight.
Weigh-in-motion (WIM) - A method that is gaining momentum, WIM uses a series of embedded sensors to calculate the weight per axle as a truck drives over the sensor pad. Unlike the other two methods, there is no need for the truck to come to a complete stop while on the scales. In fact, some WIM systems are installed in highways so that all traffic is monitored at speed.
Do you know all of the laws? Try reading them sometime and tell me that you're obeying them all.
But I'll answer your question. First, I've never known ANYONE that hasn't broken some law or another. Most don't even know it, except for minor traffic offenses. Secondly, I believe it's a statistical impossibility for someone to obey all of the laws unless they are bedridden and never leave the house. That's based on the sheer number of laws, and just how intrusive many of them are.
I don't know all the fishing and hunting laws. However, were I to apply for a fishing or hunting license, I would make sure I understood those laws.
If you're like most people, you'd make a good faith effort to learn the important ones, and conduct yourself using common sense. But it's impossible to know them all.
Same with opening a restaurant, applying for a mining permit, learning to fly a plane, getting a nursing license, or starting a liquor store. Specialized laws require that those in that business or practice learn them
And do you ever wonder why big companies often lobby for more rules? It's because they know their smaller competitors can't possibly follow all of the rules without hiring a staff of lawyers, which would make them uncompetitive.
Perhaps you are unaware of the phrase "Ignorance of the law is no excuse."
I'm quite aware of it, and I think that "ignorance of the law" is a damned good excuse unless the person is hurting someone, damaging someone's property, or acting recklessly.
I bought a computer via the Internet about 10 days ago. Two years ago I learned that in my state I'm supposed to report such a purchase in my annual state tax filing.
Guess what?
So, are you going to obey the law or willfully disobey it? In either case, you on't be breaking the law because you are ignorant of it.
Do you save flower seeds from store-bought flowers (or seeds) that produce them? I'm pretty sure it's against the law.
I've been stopped 4 times in my life.
Twice for speeding, and I got a ticket both times.
On one of those occasions, I was threatened with arrest since it's apparently a misdemeanor in Florida to have another state's tag on the front of your car, even if it was registered to you in your prior state of residence.
In Florida, you only have to have FL tags on the back of your car. And yes, my Florida "papers" were in order when the jackboot threatened to arrest me.
No, he was not ridiculed for carrying a gun most of the time. That's how he spun their responses.
I am surprised to see you offer this misinterpretation of well-reasoned posts from people who were not dismissive but making valid and coherent points. Points that some here pretend not to comprehend, instead decrying the lack of "discussion".
Report to the nearest internment camp where you can be "reprogrammed".
You are aware that terrorists may be infiltrating flight crews, so the pilot with the gun may be al Qaeda?
See the little problem with your "solution"?
They better do an extremely thorough vetting of the marshalls as it is.
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